Are you looking to make extra money fast?
Many of us could do with extra money, especially amid rising inflation and economic uncertainty. With some thought and creativity, you'll find many ways to sell things to make money. Here are some places you can start:
- Unwanted items in your home
- Create things people want to buy
- Get paid for doing things from home (sell your labor)
We found 34 things to sell to make money. Start by decluttering your home and monetizing your stuff with a demand to extract its value.
Although you can get rid of your things through traditionalflea marketsand garage/yard sales, there are many other options now. You can try selling to consignment stores, retailers, Amazon,Craigslist, eBay, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Shopify, and other websites.
Let's get started makingextra money!
Best Things To Sell To Make Money
1. Sell Old or Unused Clothes
There's a market for gently used clothes. Closets often hide old or hardly used clothes we no longer wear. According toDr. Jennifer Baumgartner, most people wear 20% of their closet 80% of the time. With that metric in mind, you probably have many clothes in decent condition and may get up to 80% of their cost. You cansell clothes onlineto consignment, secondhand stores, or directly to consumers. Try these platforms:
- The RealReal
- Poshmark
- thredUp
- Swap.com
- Tradesy
- Mercari
- VarageSale
2. Sell Shoes and Sneakers
Like clothes, you may have dozens of pairs of shoes you've never worn. Rather than feel guilty about being a shoe hoarder, sell off those unworn shoes and remove their boxes (they take up a lot of room!) A few places to sell used shoes include:
- thredUp
- Poshmark
- Tradesy
- Mercari
- GOAT
- StockX
3. Sell Baby Gear And Clothes
Another way to make money is to sell baby gear you don't need anymore. You could contact The Stroller Store to sell a used stroller. You may want to check out the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Have baby clothes that are either gently used or with tags you want to sell? Several sites can help you with these items:
- Kidizen
- OfferUp
- LetGo
4. Sell Jewelry
Selling jewelry is different depending on the type of jewelry you wish to trade. If you are considering selling expensive jewelry, you should contact The American Society of Appraisers for an appraisal. They likely charge a hefty fee of up to $350 per hour, but knowing the value of the jewelry you plan to sell is worth knowing.
5. Sell Luxury Watches
If in good condition, luxury watches are in high demand. In the US alone, around $100 billion worth of fine watches are sitting around in people's closets. Watches of two top brands,Patek Philippe and Rolex, regularly sell in the $5,000 to $10,000 range, but rare models have sold for millions of dollars.
For example, for jewelry, depending on the brand and condition of your watch, you may want to get an appraisal and contact places likeCrown & Caliberthat buy and resell luxury watches.
6. Sell Vintage Posters
Original vintage posters advertising products and events like movies have recently been in high demand as nostalgia collectibles. Whether you have an original vintage poster or a collection, you may be able to sell them at an auction or gallery. Some options include:
- International Poster Gallery
- Authenticvintageposter.com
- Swann Auction Galleries
7. Sports Equipment And Clothes
You may have a house full of used sports equipment and clothes you want to sell online. You may be moving or wanting to upgrade your treadmill, elliptical, weights, stationary bikes, golf, baseball, or kids' sports equipment like hockey sticks and ice skates, helmets, bats, and gloves. Several platforms buy and sell various sports equipment online, including:
- SidelineSwap
- GearTrade
- OfferUp
8. Kitchenware
Many things comprise kitchenware, including utensils, dishes, cookware, bakeware, kitchen gadgets, air fryers, instant pots, and crock pots. The estimated$60 billionglobal kitchenware industry likely grew faster due to people spending most of their time at home in 2020-2021.
If you have pretty ceramic or vintage items, you may want to sell some of your kitchen things to the usual suspects, including Craigslist, eBay, and Etsy. Local restaurant equipment dealers may be on the lookout for kitchenware, too.
9. Selling Electronics
Markets can sell spare, used, unused electronics such as iPads, media players, laptops, printers, and cameras. You can trade in your electronics for cash; these companies will refurbish and sell them as certified pre-owned devices. Before letting go of these household goods, visit the Consumer EPA's Electronics Donation and Recycling page.
You can contact several companies to sell your electronics, notably:
- BuyBack World
- Sellcell.com
- Decluttr
- Swappa
- Gazelle
10. Sell Your Appliances and Furniture Online
Besides electronics, you may want to sell your used appliances, such as your fridge or washing machine, and furniture to a local dealer or online. Craigslist and eBay are good places to start.
You'll need to have photos and dimensions for potential buyers. For appliances, you can visit:
- 5Miles
- LetGo
- OfferUp
- Shpock
- VarageSale
For used furniture, visit:
- Apartment Therapy Marketplace
- Chairs
- Bonanza
- Bookoo
- 1st Dibs
11. Collectibles
Many homes have collectibles, which may be valuable, such as coins, stamps, toy soldiers, empty perfume bottles, vintage board games, and dolls. Look online for relevant sellers who can sell your collectibles at online retail stores like RubyLane or The Internet Antique Shop or at specialty dealers like Catawiki (which sells toy soldiers).
12. Used Books
There is always a market for used books, including physical, digital, and textbooks. Three places to sell used books are Book Finder, BookScouter, and AbeBooks.
13. Sell Used Cars
The used car market has been booming since 2020, thanks to the pandemic and supply constraints, especially for chips needed for new cars. The average used car price in June 2021 jumped32.7%compared to the year earlier.
That price jump has caused many car owners to consider reselling. There are many ways to do this, depending on whether you want to go local or cast a wider net. Rather than the old-school option of a trade-in of your used car at your preferred car dealership or shopping your car around at used car lots, consider:
- AutoTrader
- Cars.com
- CarGurus
- Carvana
- Vroom
14. Video Games, Gaming Consoles, and Accessories
You may have a collection of used gaming consoles and accessories you were about to get rid of and then wondered if you could sell them. They may retain value, and you can contact Gadgetgone, Decluttr, and Swappa.
Used and vintage games may be in demand. It's worth checking out DKOldies or Ziffit.
15. Board Games
Board games often bring endless hours of family fun over decades of playtime. Many families hold onto them for sentimental value, hoping they can play them again one day with the next generation. Your old games can fetch a price on the secondhand market, though. Depending on the condition, sell your Legos at Brinklink or The Plastic Brick and vintage board games to BoardGameGeek or Noble Knight Games.
16. Sell Tools
If you have a workshed, you probably accumulated a lot of tools, including power tools, leatherworking, and non-electric tools. You may have antique tools that collectors seek at flea or thrift markets. There is a demand for these devices, and you can start selling them individually or as a collection through agarage or tag sale. Try online places like RubyLane or SawMillCreek.
17. Sell Your Wedding Dress or Formal Dresses
Many women keep their wedding or formal dresses in their closets, but they are valuable. Aused gown in excellent condition, less than 2.5 years old, can sell for 50% of the retail price or higher if they are Vera Wang or Lhuillier gowns. You can list your wedding dress on Nearly Newlywed or Stillwhite.com. You can sell them to consignment stores or The Dress List for formal dresses, including prom dresses and gowns.
18. DIY Arts & Crafts
Many start doing arts and crafts as a hobby before eventually becoming a business. The arts and crafts market is a large category, valued at$40.570 billion in 2020, and may include soap, candles, jewelry, textiles, wood, metals, clay, paper, canvas, plants, knitting, and other crafts. Handmade products make desirable gifts.
In recent years, selling your crafts and unique goods to a seemingly boundless market has become much more manageable. These online marketplaces may charge listing, transaction, and payment processing fees, so you must check the details with each one. The best-known companies are:
- Etsy
- Shopify
- Big Cartel
- Zibbet
- IndieMade
- ArtFire
- Handmade at Amazon
19. Sell Greeting Cards
Card making is a creative way to earn money online. It involves several techniques and products, such as stamping, die-cutting, heat embossing, and scrapbooking.
Sell your handmade greeting cards with that personal touch. You can sell cards to local businesses, craft fairs, or places like Artfire. Handmade cards remain popular and lucrative.
20. Calligraphy
Calligraphy is the art of exquisite writing that induces meditation and heightened awareness and soothes your body, mind, and soul. The upfront costs of starting calligraphy are minimal. You must use ink, a brush, or a flexible metal pen.
Calligraphers can monetize their skills by making business signage and selling framed inspirational quotes, books, table/escorts, or wedding invitations.
21. Sell Printables
Printables are products that people digitally download and print on paper. These cover a wide range of content. Often, they enhance our productivity as an educational resource or for entertainment at parties. Printables include planners, journals, trackers, stickers, coloring pages, guest books, checklists, and wall art. You can sell them through online stores such as Shopify, Fiverr, Facebook Groups, Gumroad, or SendOwl. Printables are immediately delivered.
22. Sell Low-content Books
Low or no-content books may represent similar items as printables but may include puzzles, coloring, and activity books for adults and kids. One of the main differences between printables and low-content books is that the latter are physical books typically made and sold on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) rather than a printable digital downgrade.
Low-content books are print-on-demand books, so you don't have to worry about inventories and shipping; KDP handles these.
23. Sell Ebooks
In contrast to low-content books, authors may write, self-publish, and sell ebooks through various print-on-demand platform models. Books can be fiction or non-fiction and relate to multiple topics, such as recipes, gardening, memoirs, or how-to books. Popular platforms include:
- Amazon KDP
- Blurb.com
- Google Play Books
- Lulu X Press
24. Sell Your Woodworking Items
Many people enjoy working with their hands, especially with wood. They whittle figurines and make or refinish cabinets and other types of furniture. These can include carving, carpentry, and cabinet-making.
Depending on your skills, you could build pieces or finely crafted furniture as a unique beauty. You can command thousands of dollars for the work. Alternatively, you can flip furniture after refinishing them or sell vintage pieces to collectors.
25. Earn Money Through Gaming
Do you like gaming? Video game players can get paid to play games. In a December survey, 65% of US adults played on at least one platform. Many apps pay you to play games in cash,gift cards, loyalty points, etc.
Twitch is the most popular live-streaming service, getting 140 million unique visitors monthly. They have72%of the market for professional gamers.
26. Unused Coupons
Coupons remain a top marketing tool, with60% of online shoppers globally searching for coupons and discounts before they make their purchases. Sometimes, people find themselves with unwanted coupons they'd like to trade in for cash. Rather than have the coupon go unused, you can visit the following sites that will help you get some money for your coupons:
- BeFrugal
- CouponTrade.com
- Checkout Saver
- Pabbly.com
27. Sell Unused Gift Cards
Do you have some gift cards in a drawer? I do, too. Sometimes, you may get a gift card from a well-meaning friend who wants you to try out her favorite place you are not interested in visiting. Legally, gift cards cannot expire less than five years from activation.
Instead, sell your unused gift cards for up to 80% of their value on:
- CardCash
- CashStar
- Raise
28. Sell Your Cooking and Baking
Can you cook or bake with flair? People like hiring skilled personal chefs for special events or long-term culinary needs. If you are cooking meals for a particular person or family once in a while, it may be a less formal arrangement. Hourly rates are about $30-$40 per hour.
You can make money selling cookies, cupcakes, pies, or cakes. If you are talented, you can make exotic cakes for weddings and special events and sell them through social media like Instagram or your website.
29. Teaching or Tutoring Online
Do you have a passion for teaching? Become atutor online or in person and share your knowledge as a freelancer. Select your hours and subject of expertise. It can be a seasonal or all-year-round gig.
There are education requirements, with high school completion as the minimum. Typical hourly pay of $30 or higher will depend on the subject, with a more challenging curriculum like math getting higher demand and pay. Consider listing with The Tutoring Company, Tutor.com, or TutorMe.
Language skills are in tremendous demand for teaching or tutoring in languages to children and adults. Knowledge of reading and writing in multiple languages and a college diploma are a plus. If you possess these skills, these companies are looking for language expertise:
- Verbling
- VerbalPlanet
- VIPKid
30. Get Paid for Your Opinions
You can make cash, get gift cards and coupons, and earn redeemable points or rewards by answeringsurveys and participating in polls. It is easy to sign up and contribute your opinions on market research and brands and watch movie trailers in your free time. It is easy to participate, earn money (it won't be significant), and learn something new.
Here are the more established names:
- Swagbucks
- Branded Surveys
- Survey Junkie
- InBoxDollars
- LifePoints
- Pinecone Research
31. Get Paid By Participating In Focus Groups
Besides answering surveys, market researchers rely on consumers to participate in focus groups to retrieve invaluable product opinions by phone, zoom, or small groups. Compensation is by the hour or research session. Some focus groups include User Interviews, FocusGroup.com, and Probe Market Research.
32. Sell Your Photographs
Are you skilled at photography? Whether you enjoy exploring portraits, family photography, travel, sports, nature, stock photographs, or candid photography, you can sell your photography skills. Sell your photos online or to companies specializing in your area of expertise. Consider listing on Fine Art America or stock photo sites like Getty Images or Shutterstock.
33. Become A Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant (VA) typically works remotely, assisting business owners with various skill sets. They provide general administrative support by performing varying tasks: writing, advertising, email management, content creation, bookkeeping, scheduling, graphic design, social media management, copyrighting, and e-commerce.
You can list your skills on these platforms:
- Fiverr
- Upwork
- VaNetworking.com
- oDesk
- Facebook Groups: Virtual Assistant Savvies or Blogger Resource Room
34. Selling Professional Freelances Services Online
Freelancers are similar to VAs but work as independent contractors, typically on short-term projects and on their own time. They may work for multiple clients and specialize in digital skills like writing, graphic design, bookkeeping, email, social media marketing, web development, videos, animation, copywriting, SEO, and digital marketing.
Here are some platforms to sell your professional services and bid for jobs: Fiverr, Upwork, and 99 Designs.
Final Thoughts
We found various ways to sell things for money, whether you discard unwanted things, create products, or go online. When you earn extra money, put it toward paying off your credit card debt, set aside something special like a vacation, or invest it in your future. You'll be ahead of the game no matter how you use the extra cash.
This article was produced and syndicated byWealth of Geeks.
Featured Image Courtesy of Shutterstock.
